Millions of iridescent stars, far-off remote galaxies, and swarms of hurtling asteroids are just a few of the cosmic phenomena captured in the first images taken by the world’s largest digital camera. The Vera Rubin Observatory, a new US-funded astronomy facility stationed in central Chile, shared its inaugural findings with the public on June 23, kicking off what is expected to be a transformative breakthrough in astronomical research. Named after the trailblazing American astronomer Vera C. Rubin, who first uncovered conclusive evidence of dark matter, the observatory is jointly financed by the US National Science Foundation and Department of Energy’s Office of Science and is the outcome of more than two decades of work. Equipped with a digital camera weighing approximately 6,200 pounds and a telescope measuring over 27 feet, its facilities are located atop of Cerro Pachón in the Andes Mountains — an area known for its arid climate and lack of light pollution, providing some of the ...